Will her beak grow back????

[Friend of Feathers]

I just noticed yesterday that one of my hens is missing the top of her beak. I'm not really sure how long it's been this way, but I think I would have noticed it before now if it's been that way for very long. She's not usually a friendly bird, but the last few days she's been running to me when she sees me outside. After I noticed that her beak is partially missing, I can't help but to think that she is trying to ask me to help her in some way.

I have so many questions. Will it grow back? Should I feed her differently? Should I trim the bottom of her beak so that she may be able to drink better and peck better?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[kdcrws]

giving u a bump so maybe someone will see it and be able to tell u what caused that. it looks horrible! but i'm pretty sure that beaks don't grow back.

 

[chickenzoo]

Poor baby. I would just keep a deep dish of food for her, to make it easy to scoop up food. i would leave the bottom one alone for now. Strange how it is missing like that. Depending on the trauma to the tissue, it could grow back over time. i have a goose with a turned up top beak and she does fine.

 

[gumpsgirl]

It looks as if it has been that way for quite awhile. It looks good and healed up. I had a rooster that was horribly mean and he tried to attack my son, who was on the opposite side of the run as the rooster, and he broke his beak off when he hit the fence. It bled and bled, so I'm pretty certain your hen has been that way for a good while now.

As for it growing back, I seriously doubt it will. It looks like it was broke off to far back. It wouldn't hurt to trim her bottom beak as it grows, but be careful not to get back to far or it will hurt her.

When my rooster broke his beak, I always made sure the feeder stayed full so he could scoop the feed and I always gave him a fairly high pile of scratch so he could scoop.

Hope this helps.

 

[Friend of Feathers]

Thank you for the advice and suggestions. I thought too that it must have been that way for a while since it looks pretty healed over, but she seems unsure of how to eat. I filled the feeder up so it's nice and deep. I also put a feed bowl full of water in the pen so that she can stick her beak in farther into the water than their waterer will allow. I hope she learns to adapt. It makes me so sad that she follows me around. I wish I could do more for her

 

[Friend of Feathers]

I would like to try to trim the bottom portion of her beak. Any suggestions on the best method and how much I can remove without hurting her?

 

[vtara16]

I really don't think that is a good idea, no reason why. sorry

 

[ksct]

oh poor thing. please keep your eye on her and make sure she's eating and make sure she's getting water...... that'd be a big concern of mine! perhaps she's looking for attention because she's not getting food or water etc. maybe make sure you're giving her a little more TLC than usual, and more frequently. (all of which i'm sure goes without saying)
Hope she lives a long healthy life! good luck

 

[ksct]

oh and if she's doing okay currently, i'd say don't trim it. she may get frightened and scared of you for doing it. she's looking to you for help.

 

[Olive Hill]

I wouldn't trim the bottom beak. Right now that's her scooper. She can get food and water with it. If you trim it she won't be able to scoop anything up anymore.